The Wedding Biz - Behind the Scenes of the Wedding Business

Latest Episodes:

78 JULIE SABATINO: The Stylish Bride Aug 13, 2018

Show notes

On the most important day of a couple's life,, family and friends gather to share a moment with two people committing their lives to one another.

However, there's one person everyone is going to be looking at all night—the bride. Selecting the right dress is one of the most stressful decisions in the whole process, as any bride will tell you.

Julie Sabatino is here to take some of that stress off. Julie the original wedding fashion stylist and founder of The Stylish Bride

Listen in and see what Julie has to say about her experience, the biz, and some of the things most brides don't consider when shopping for "the dress".

We're excited to announce that she'll soon be releasing her new podcast on our network tomorrow! Be sure to subscribe to her show, "The Stylish Bride".

Show Highlights:

Julie's first step when working with a new client
What techniques Julie uses to determine the bride's style
Julie's experiences with working with brides with different body types
The most enjoyable part about what she does
Advice to Wedding Planners if a bride isn't able to get a Bridal Stylist
What you should do before you start shopping for your dress
Why you should start shopping for the dress in advance
Julie shares some of her favorite weddings she's worked
Suggestions on how to interact with the wedding photographer
What to consider when it comes to the hair and makeup artist

Resources:

The Stylish Bride

Stylish Bride on Instagram

Stylish Bride on Facebook

Stylish Bride on Twitter

77 THE NEXT LEVEL: Michele Hodges: Building a Referral Based Business Aug 06, 2018

Show notes

In this episode of THE NEXT LEVEL, Andy and Melissa unpack all of the lessons from Michele Hodges show. Michele shared exactly the steps she goes through when she plans an event, and then she also shared some of the unique aspects of her business - the fact that she has very little social media presence and mainly builds her customer base from referrals.

There's a lot more to catch up on as Andy and Melissa also discuss:

The importance of entertainment at an event
Michele's sequential process for planning an event
A calm demeanor during the frenzy of an event is critical
Spending time with a client to make sure their event is reflective of them, and not Michele.

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Valerie Romanoff

76 MICHELE HODGES: Building A Successful Referral Based Business Aug 06, 2018

Show notes

The way the world runs today, it often feels as if it's impossible to make it in the Wedding Business without a strong social media presence as well as participating in a plethora of networking events. While it may seem like the only way to stay relevant these days, Michele Hodges is here to share otherwise. Michele is here to share how she never intended to fall into Event Planning, and her secret on how she's managed to do well in the field.

Show Highlights:

Michele's perspective on Social Media, networking, and Event Planning
How Michele gets her ideas when getting to know her clients
Michele's preference when it comes to deciding between a DJ or band for weddings
The most important elements to consider when it comes to choosing a band
Michele shares her order of constructing a wedding for a new client
The key factor to look for when it comes to Floral Designers
What Michele recommends on how to confront challenges
The biggest changes in the industry Michele's become more aware of
What Michele would tell experienced planners on what they need to know to be successful

75 THE NEXT LEVEL: Christian Oth: Innovative Wedding Photojournalism Jul 30, 2018

Show notes

We know it isn't just luck that separates the most successful entrepreneurs in our industry from the rest of the pack. Success leaves clues and we are uncovering those clues to success on every single episode of THE NEXT LEVEL!

Today, Andy and Melissa dive into the amazing Christian Oth interview! Christian was so open about sharing his keys to success and he was amazingly open about his tough road to the top! It hasn't been without challenges.

Listen in as Andy and Melissa discuss:

Christian's openness and humility about his journey to success.
The customer experience that Christian focuses on.
Making each experience unique and different.
Plus, they answer a listener question!

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Colin Cowie

74 CHRISTIAN OTH: Innovative Wedding Photojournalism Jul 30, 2018

Show notes

As any Creative knows, getting started can be a challenge. Christian Oth is no stranger to the effort that goes into success. He moved to New York City when he was 19 years old in order to go to photography school, and he went from having to pawn his only camera, to owning his own wedding photography business. Today, Christian sits down with Andy to tell his story and to offer advice to aspiring photographers and Creatives.

Show Notes:

How Christian knew he wanted to be a photographer since he was 17
How having his own website in 2001 put him ahead of the competition
The value of constantly being aware of your surroundings
Christian shares how his approach varies with each wedding and couple
The most important ingredient between a couple and photographer
Why it's vital to let go and trust your wedding photographer
The role environment plays when it comes to photography
What Christian enjoys about his clients who are more visually aware
The approach Christian takes when it comes to his business and being the "boss"
How social media is changing the business of photography
Suggestions and the importance of networking
His major announcement about his innovative new program:Jetsetters

Resources:

Christian Oth Studio

Jetsetters

Christian Oth Instagram

Christian Oth Facebook

73 THE NEXT LEVEL: Roy Yamaguchi: Cuisine, Culture & Community Jul 23, 2018

Show notes

In today's episode, Andy and Melissa dive a little deeper into Chef Roy Yamaguchi's interview on The Wedding Biz. Roy is our first Chef to appear on the show and he really brought the value.

In this episode we discuss:

The unexpected humility that Roy displays
How focusing on culture cause Roy to make some out of the box business decisions
Why creating the right culture can allow you to hire the right team
The difference that Mastery brings to any skill
Roy's focus on creating an experience and a feeling, rather than just serving technically perfect food.

Previous Episodes Discussed:

Preston Bailey

Christian Oth - coming soon!

72 CHEF ROY YAMAGUCHI: Cuisine, Culture & Community Jul 23, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode, Andy shares with us the honor of sitting down with renowned Chef Roy Yamaguchi, as he shares his story. Chef Roy shares his experiences from coming to the United States for the first time to attend culinary school, starting his first restaurant in Los Angeles, and finally creating Roy's in Hawaii.

Listen in as Roy shares with Andy, as well as the rest of us, his passion, his mission, and his hopes for the future.

Show Highlights:

How HomeEc sparked Roy's culinary path
The moment he decided to commit to cooking and pursue Culinary school in America
Roy shares his first experience of New York compared to living in Japan
The reason Roy went with his gut on opening his restaurant in Hawaii, when everyone told him not to
What Roy took away from Cheers and the influence that played in creating his restaurant
Roy shares the value of having a team and the importance of everyone having a voice
Why sometimes you've got to let ideas marinate
The difference in what makes a great Chef versus what makes a great Cook
How social media has helped Roy personalize his guests' dining experience
How Roy manages to balance his work and personal life

Resources:

Roy Yamaguchi

Roy's Story

Roy's Fish & Seafood Cookbook

Roy's Feasts from Hawaii Cookbook

Roy's Hawaii Cooks Cookbook

Roy's Twitter

Roy's Facebook

71 THE NEXT LEVEL: Mindy Weiss: Setting the Standard Jul 16, 2018

Show notes

In this episode of The Next Level, Andy and Melissa unpack all the lessons and strategies that Mindy Weiss shared in her interview. Mindy was so open with her knowledge and she gave some very specific strategies tips that you can implement in your business.

Show Highlights:

Make each client feel they are your only client
Be a stress reducer for your brides
How to balance your personal and business lives
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Become your client's friend

There is nothing better than hearing it first hand, so tune in to today's show and learn all you can!

Resources:

Harmony Walton's TWB Episode

70 MINDY WEISS: Setting the Standard Jul 16, 2018

Show notes

Mindy Weiss is a force in the high-end wedding and event planning business. Since her early beginnings, she has delighted celebrity and non-celebrity clients alike with her ability to build meaningful relationships every step of the way.

On this episode, Mindy shares her wealth of knowledge about what it's like to maintain an A-List clientele. But while there certainly are additional factors to consider when planning luxury events for celebrities, Mindy's insights from years of experience working with families and couples are applicable to anyone in the event planning industry.

From getting to truly know your clients-- both financially and personally-- to how you might be able to successfully evade the paparazzi, Mindy Weiss dives in with honesty and humor to share her wisdom on this episode.

About Mindy:

Mindy Weiss is based in Beverly Hills and is the best-selling author of 3 books: The Wedding Book, The New Mindy Weiss Wedding Organizer, and The Baby Keepsake Book and Planner. She is also a product innovator and spokesperson, planning celebrations all over the world for celebrity clients like Fergie, Ellen Degeneres, Pink, Jessica Simpson, Serena Williams, and Heidi Klum, among many others.

What you can expect from this episode:

How Mindy stays on the top event plan and design lists year after year
The unexpected venue where Mindy celebrated her Sweet 16 party
How Mindy got her first event planning gig and what it was
Mindy explains how events for celebrity clients are different
Clever tips for managing paparazzi
How to build your business with celebrity and VIP clients
The top qualities needed to be a successful wedding and event planner
What common phrase to never say to your clients
Mindy shares some of her all-time favorite celebrity client weddings
How to maintain respect from your high-end clients
Simple ways to improve your quoting and pricing
How to build and manage a team that creates a healthy workspace

Links Mentioned in the Show:

MindyWeiss.com

Mindy Weiss on Instagram - @mindyweiss and @under30over50

Vow To Be Chic - The Mindy Bridesmaid Dress

The Mindy Weiss Rollasole

The Wedding Book by Mindy Weiss

The New Mindy Weiss Wedding Organizer

The Baby Keepsake Book and Planner by Mindy Weiss

Wedding Paper Divas Invitation Collection

69 THE NEXT LEVEL: Mark Held: A Lifetime Of Floral Innovation Jul 09, 2018

Show notes

Considering the incredible success Mark Held has had by focusing on doing one thing - flowers - and doing them better than anyone else, it's no surprise that Andy and Melissa are able to extract many strategies from Mark's interview.

Join Andy and Melissa as they delve further into the following topics:

Continually innovating is necessary for the success of a business.
Spending time understanding your client and what they want is always time well-spent.
The power of knowing your market and your demographic.
The importance of re-inventing yourself with every event - especially when you use the same venues multiple times.
Anticipate how your craft will affect the final outcome of the event.
The only criteria for judging flowers is - are they beautiful?
Your only limitation is yourself.

Episodes Mentioned:

Kristin Banta

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Wedding Biz – Behind the Scenes of the Wedding Business

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected